U.S. Open odds, betting: Why we like Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler this week
The PGA is headed to California for the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club's North Course. A par 70 at 7,421 yards, the club will host a PGA event for the first time. Looking at the aerial views, it looks stellar — undulation, small bentgrass greens, narrow fairways and thick rough. With no course history, I’m relying on the all-around player similar to last week’s RBC Canadian Open. Here are three players to target in the top-40 or top-30 market for the U.S. Open.
Justin Rose
Top 30 -115
Top 20 +140
Top 10 +330
Top 5 +750
To win +4000
Rose came through with a Top 20 last week and I can see him being in contention again this week. Rose is a solid ball striker with a strong short game. After winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February (where he shot in the 60s all four rounds), Rose has six top-25 finishes in his last six starts, including T6 in The Players Championship and 8th last week in Canada. If I’m looking for an all-around player, Rose has gained strokes from tee to green in seven straight tournaments. Plus, bentgrass is his best putting surface by far. In his last few bentgrass events, Rose has finished T16 or better.
Rickie Fowler
Top 30 +100
Top 20 +175
Top 10 +400
Top 5 +900
To win +5000
I am not hopping off the Fowler train. He’s been a cash cow and has made my betting card nearly every week. Fowler now has 11 top-20 finishes in 13 tournaments this year. Even in a field as strong as this, Fowler is still top 15 in strokes gained tee to green and strokes gained total. He enters the week with back-to-back top-10 finishes: T6 in the Charles Schwab Challenge and T9 at the Memorial Tournament where he gained eight strokes tee to green in both. The underrated part of Fowler’s game is that he’s typically a solid putter, and bentgrass is his best surface. Scottie Scheffler is producing results lacking in the putting category. Fowler is in the same boat, putting neutral instead of gaining on surfaces he usually produces on. If Fowler can improve with his flat stick, his comeback year will continue.
Ryan Fox
Top 40 +130
Top 30 +250
Top 20 +400
Top 10 +1100
Top 5 +3000
To win +15000
Fox is getting extremely good value for a top-40 finish. The New Zealand pro has competed in some of the larger events of the year, finishing T27 in The Players Championship, T26 in the Masters, T23 in the PGA Championship and T30 in the Memorial. It was at Muirfield Village Golf Club where Fox lost strokes off the tee for the first time this year, remaining neutral or gaining in every other tournament. After losing strokes around the green in three straight, Fox has gained strokes in four of his last five events. Not only is bentgrass his best surface, but he has gained tee to green in his last five bentgrass events with four straight top-30 finishes. Getting plus money for a Top 40? No brainer.
